12/11/13

Here’s a simple way to create a fire starter to get your wood-burning fireplace roaring this winter season: Save cardboard tubes from toilet paper and fill them with dryer lint and shredded paper, like brown kraft paper or junk mail. Roll the tubes in a sheet of scrap paper and tie each end with natural twine or jute. Place the package under the wood in the fireplace and light the ends; the slow-burning fire starters will give a constant flame to the firewood so it has a chance to catch.

12/10/13

Many DIY winter bird-feeding projects involve taking a piece of bread -- like a stale bagel -- and coating it in peanut butter and bird seed to hang from a tree. Top bird experts agree that this practice should be avoided because the bread offers few nutrients to birds; they need fat to survive, not carbohydrates. If you want to help, you can still coat natural peanut butter and seed all over a pinecone and hang that from a tree; it’ll provide valuable nutrition without carbo-loading our feathered friends.

12/9/13

Ever wonder what to do with old business cards? Paint both sides with chalkboard paint. Allow the cards to dry, then punch a hole at the top and run a piece of string through it. Voila! You have instant chalkboard gift tags to use year-round. It’s practically free to do, too! But if you have lots of printed business cards, remember this simple fact: You can recycle them with waste paper, too.